Humanitarian Aid in Gaza Hindered by Israeli Control

International Desk | PNN

According to a UN official, aid agencies are “racing against time” to deliver food and other humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip, as Israeli control continues to create obstacles across bombed-out areas.

In a Tuesday press conference, Abeer Atefa, a senior spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme (WFP), said that although aid deliveries have increased since a partial ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last month, only two crossings into Gaza are open, limiting the volume of supplies brought in by WFP and other agencies.

Atefa said, “We need full access. Everything must move quickly. Winter is approaching. People are still hungry, and the demand is immense.”

WFP operates 44 food distribution centers in Gaza and has provided food aid to over one million Palestinians since the ceasefire began on 10 October.

However, Atefa told journalists that the aid reaching Gaza is still insufficient, and delivering supplies remains challenging even after the global hunger monitors confirmed famine conditions in northern Gaza in August.

She added, “The closure of the northern Gaza crossing is a major obstacle. Convoys must take slow and complicated southern routes. To provide large-scale supplies, WFP needs access to all crossings, especially those in northern Gaza. Full access to key roads is also essential to ensure that food reaches the areas in need quickly and effectively.”

In recent weeks, thousands of Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza as Israeli forces have withdrawn to the “yellow line” under the ceasefire agreement.